The invention relates generally to high-speed data communications, and more particularly to a system and method for enabling fixed location public terminals to be used as an interface to high-speed data communications.
Devices exist which enable access to information sources from fixed location public terminals, such as pay telephones and special purpose kiosks. These facilities enable users to access and/or download various types of data, such as electronic mail or Internet/Intranet web sites. Access is typically provided over a switched network, typically over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) by coupling a modem to telephone lines. Switched networks, particularly the PSTN, do not provide high-speed communications between a data application and consumers of those services. Users are instead generally limited to low-speed data access using modem devices to communicate digital data over analog lines. This increases the amount of time a user must spend accessing desired information.
Besides speed, another problem with current public data access points is a need for specialized billing interfaces. Data access circuits require a separate specialized billing interface other than the one already provided with the fixed location public terminal. Additionally, because the data access connections are low-speed, the amount of time that a user must be connected to access desired information increases the cost of the data access as well. The user may also be required to pay a separate connect cost. Furthermore, specialized billing interfaces used to activate these services may require users to associate with unknown billing service providers.
Another disadvantage with existing public point data access systems is the inability to provide a voice communications path in addition to a data communications path. If a user desires to speak with, for example, a customer representative of a service provider associated with a service the user is accessing, the user must disconnect the data connection and place a telephone call to the service provider. Current systems do not enable users to maintain both voice and data communications paths simultaneously.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved system and method of providing high-speed communications access from a fixed location public terminal.
A need also exists for providing high-speed communications from a fixed location public terminal that utilizes a similar billing infrastructure to that already provided for the fixed location public terminal.
A need also exists for enabling users of fixed location public terminals to maintain both voice and data communications paths open during a single session.
The invention solving these and other problems relates to a high-speed communications interface coupled to a fixed location public terminal (e.g., pay telephone), which may be used to initiate high-speed communications to a data application device through the high-speed communications interface. The high-speed communications interface enables a data application device to be connected to the fixed location public terminal and establish high-speed communications with one or more data services to access information at a terminal point.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a fixed location public terminal is provided with a high-speed communications interface. The high-speed communications interface may include a standard high-speed communications jack or outlet for connecting a data application device, such as an integrated services digital network (ISDN) or digital subscriber line (DSL) connection. To activate the system, a user may place an ordinary telephone call to a high-speed data communications provider. The telephone call terminates at a call server. The call server determines a data port address associated with a plain-old-telephone system (POTS) number assigned to the fixed location public terminal being used for access. The call server may first enable the user to select a payment method. After a payment method is authorized over the PSTN, the call server enables the user to establish high-speed communications between a data application device and one or more data servers over a separate high-speed communications network terminating at the fixed location public terminal. After the user finishes using their high-speed data services, the call server may terminate the high-speed communications with the data application device.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed for providing a fixed location public terminal with high-speed communications access. The fixed location public terminal may already be available for use. In the method, a high-speed communications network is coupled to the fixed location public terminal and a call server interface. The high-speed communications interface at the fixed location public terminal is then activated using the telephone-side connection. The high-speed communications interface enables users to use various types of data application services to the fixed location public terminal, for example to download email, news, liquid audio or other content at the fixed location public terminal.
The invention in another regard relates to a method for providing high-speed communications to and from a fixed location public terminal. A user connects a data application device to the fixed location public terminal using, for example, a standardized high-speed communications jack or outlet located on a high-speed communications interface coupled to the fixed location public terminal. The user places a telephone call to a call server front-end of a high-speed communications provider or service. The telephone call terminates at a call server associated with the high-speed communications provider or service. The call server determines the data port address of the fixed location public terminal from which the telephone call was placed using the POTS number of the fixed location public terminal. The call server then connects to the data port of the high-speed communications interface coupled to the fixed location public terminal. The user may then select the information desired to access or download, such as voice mail, electronic mail, video messaging or liquid musics. The fixed location public terminal may use conventional billing mechanisms serviced by the call server for determining the cost and duration of the call. After the user completes the high-speed communications, the user may simply hang-up the telephone thereby terminating both the voice and data communication links.